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Cliff Despres

Cliff Despres, who has more than a decade of experience in journalism and public relations, is communications director for Salud America! and its home base, the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health San Antonio.

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Articles by Cliff Despres

Jennifer Thomas: ‘Breast Cancer Can’t Steal our Ability to Sparkle Radiantly’


Jennifer Thomas breast cancer survivor san antonio

By Jennifer Thomas San Antonio, Texas, Cancer Survivor I had just turned 39 when I reached over my shoulder to turn off a lamp, and in so doing, felt a funny “spot” on my breast. Having no history of cancer in my family, I can’t say that was my first thought. But since it WAS October—Breast Cancer Awareness Month—I did call my husband into the living room to see if he felt it as well. This was late January of 2006. Despite being told by everyone the spot was “probably nothing,” I got it checked out and was diagnosed with Stage 1 IDC, fast-growing (grade 3) by the first week of February. I don’t remember getting a second opinion, doing any research, or even asking what my options were. I just know that a week after being diagnosed, I was in surgery ...

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5 Heroes Who Use Bikes to Steer Kids toward Healthier Lives


salud heroes bike healthier for kids

Kids have fun when they ride bikes. They also get needed physical activity. But did you know that riding a bike can aid children's balance, reduce anxiety and stress, reduce their obesity risk, promote social interaction, and help acclimate to their surroundings? That’s why we at Salud America! are spotlighting Salud Heroes who are pushing for safe, bike-friendly environments for Latino and all kids! Dante Jones: A 'Roll Model' for Kids in San Antonio Growing up, Dante Jones always looked forward to weekend bike rides with his father. In those rides with his dad, Jones said he learned important life lessons and experienced the beauty of the outdoors, all while getting exercise. So when his daughter, Glory, was old enough to ride a bike, he decided to start a similar ...

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Anchor It: Protect Kids from Dangerous Furniture Tip-Overs


Anchor it furniture tv tip-overs dangerous child

Sadly, a parent's worst nightmare can happen. One child dies every 11 days on average when a TV or furniture falls onto him or her, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which created the Anchor It! safety campaign. But there are ways to prevent this tragedy from becoming a reality. Why Do Tip-Over Incident Happen? Unsecured TVs, furniture, and appliances lurk in every room. The biggest problem is balance. "When someone pulls a dresser drawer open ... the furniture's center of gravity shifts outward along with it," according to a report by Popular Science. "A weight hung on an open drawer versus one hung on a closed drawer could have significantly different effects—the open drawers make it much more likely to tip." Tall furniture is required to come ...

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Apply Now: $25,000 RWJF Culture of Health Prize


RWJF Culture of Health Prize 2020

A culture of health is where everyone has a fair, just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. Is your community creating a Culture of Health? If so, apply for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) Culture of Health Prize! The contest provides $25,000 to communities that unite neighborhood, school, and business partners to improve health for all residents. Read about 2018 Winners In 2018, two majority-Latino communities earned two of the four prize winners. RWJF chose San Antonio, Texas (63.6% Latino) and Cicero, Ill. (88.8% Latino) from about 200 applicants. Eatonville, Fla., and Klamath County, Ore., also won. Salud America!, our national network to promote Latino health equity and healthy change led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez, is excited to be stationed at UT Health ...

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Award Finalist: Dr. Amelie Ramirez’s Cancer Research Training Program


Exito Cancer Collage

For the second year in a row, Éxito! Cancer Research Leadership Training has been named a finalist for Excelencia in Education’s “Examples of Excelencia” that spotlight evidence-based practices that support students in higher education. Éxito! and 15 other finalists were chosen from 166 applications. Winning “Examples of Excelencia” in four categories—associate, baccalaureate, graduate, and community-based organizations—will be announced at Excelencia in Education’s annual Celebración de Excelencia on Oct. 24, 2019, in Washington, D.C. Excelencia in Education is a national group that promotes participation in higher education among people of all backgrounds. Éxito! is led by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez of the Institute for Health Promotion Research at UT Health ...

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Cynthia Delgado: Living Life to the Fullest After Breast Cancer


Cynthia Delgado breast cancer survivor

By Cynthia Delgado San Antonio, Texas, Cancer Survivor At age 43, I was living a life that consisted of routine exercise, healthy eating, and at the weight I had always wanted to be. I had been seeing a breast surgeon routinely every 3 months for at least 1-and-a-half years because I had fibrocystic breast. Mammograms were a part of my life since my early 20s because I always had lumps, i.e., cysts. The older I got, the more cysts would develop. They would grow very big and would be excruciating painful for a minimum of 10 minutes. Because I started getting anywhere from 5-10 cysts on each side, my OBGYN referred me to a specialist. It became routine for the specialist to aspirate them every 3 months, and they would pop up in different places. On May 15, 2015, I went for my ...

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Why Your Town Needs a Farmers Market


farmers market sales

Does your town have a farmers market? If not, you might miss out on healthy fresh produce and social connections. Farmers may fail to engage in the local economy. To celebrate the Farmers Market Coalition's National Farmers Market Week on Aug. 4-10, 2019, we at Salud America! are showcasing the benefits of farmers markets as a way to increase access to fruits and vegetables among Latino and all people! Farmers Markets Can Help Latinos Latinos frequently live in food swamps. In these swamps, Latinos have no easy access to supermarkets and farmers’ markets, while abundant access to fast food and corner stores. This results in overconsumption of unhealthy foods, according to a Salud America! research review. The number of U.S. farmers’ markets has more than doubled in the ...

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Sugary Drinks May Be Linked to Cancer Risk, Study Says


sugary drinks cancer hispanic latino girl drinking

If you drink a lot of sugary drinks, you may have a higher risk of getting cancer, says a new study. While it didn't find a direct causal link, the large French study does suggest that limiting sugary drinks could cut cancer cases, according a Reuters report. The study has big implications for Latinos, who drink more sugary drinks than their peers. “This study adds to the science suggesting that it’s a good idea to limit sweetened beverage consumption,” Colleen Doyle, a nutrition expert at the American Cancer Society, told Yahoo! News. What Did the Study Find? Researchers at the Université Sorbonne Paris Cité followed 100,000 adults for five years. They examined consumption levels of sugary drinks, including soda and fruit juice. They analyzed this and risk for ...

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#SaludTues Tweetchat 7/16: How to Win the Fight Against Sugary Drinks


Sugary Drinks at Summer Camps

Latino kids consume more sugary drinks than non-Latino kids at all ages, which contributes to their high obesity rates, among other health issues, research shows. Fortunately, many new policies are emerging to fight sugary drink consumption. Let’s use #SaludTues on Tuesday, July 16, 2019, to tweet about what’s working to fight sugary drink consumption and increase consumption of water for Latino and all kids!  WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: “How to Win the Fight Against Sugary Drinks” TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, July 16, 2019 WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues HOST: @SaludAmerica CO-HOST: The American Academy of Pediatrics (@AmerAcadPeds), The Horizon Foundation (@thehorizonfound), Center for Science in the Public Interest (@CSPI), ...

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